300 word explaination of exhibition piece

ARRAYS

An array is essentially a list of data used in processing to create an easier and organized system that uses many variables, and other data, which relate to a particular part of the code. In my exhibition, I have used the metaphor that an array system is a coat check system. The coat rack represents the ‘array,’ in which the list of ‘data,’ and in this case, the coats, is held. The data that is inside the array is identified using an index number. This is represented in my exhibition by the position number of the coat hangers and the number on the ticket. The ticket is ‘given’ to the person who’s coat is hung on that specific coat hanger, similar to when a piece of data is issued to a specific index point on the array. The idea that people come back to pick up their specific coats, shows the idea that data (coats) is taken from it’s index point and used (or changed) and then put back in its specific point in the array. An array can hold any type of data, and the different colours of the coats symbolizes different types of data.

To interact with my exhibition and help understand how an array system works, the cardboard people can be moved through the cue to hand over their coats (piece of data) and get given a ticket (index number). The coat can be ‘hung’ on the coat hanger that has that index number on it, showing how a piece of data is put into an array. The people can also ‘receive’ their coats by showing their ticket number. The coat check person will look up where on the rack the numbered coat hanger is and retrieve that specific coat. This is similar to how a piece of data is used in a code when it is inside an array.  

I am going to go with idea one but have changed it a little. I have decided to use the metaphor of a coat check system. I have done this as it will make the exhibition more interactive. I will make a 'mini' scene of a coat check setup that people can interact with to help them understand how arrays work.
It will have little cost as I will use card and wire to make the scene. This may take a few of days to fully complete and an extra day for they 300 words.

ideas for exhibition

PROJECT THREE

final

http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=28062

design one

I have changed my idea again because my previous design was very limited in terms of transformation and interaction an would not be very interesting to play with.  This time I have gone back to my original idea 4 of balls rolling down and making sound, but changed it so that they bounce down stair cases and make sounds as they hit the stair cases. This has involved learning about array lists and how to put 'things' inside them and using that information to get want I want. To make it more interesting I have made the staircases have 'damage' so they fade in colour and eventually disappear each time a ball hits each step. This has also sorted the problem of the balls getting caught in between the steps.

At the moment I am just using random colour for the balls and the steps, which change colour as the balls hit them and the fade to white/ gray (because the transparency changes). I need to change this as the colours are not working visually. I will also try just having the balls white so they stand out more against the black background.

I have decided that my idea (4) is going to be a lot harder than I thought. I am going to start with something a lot easier, so I have something by friday, and then hopefully develop it further. I will try to make a ball drop and then as it crosses the 'bars' it will make a sound. As you click on the bars this will change the sound and colour. I will still have to learn a lot to achieve this as my programming skills are not that great. My goal is to create this idea that i have and then improve my processing skills to make it more interactive and interesting. For example, include dragging of the bars.